I Couldn't
by megs626
Summary: The year is up and Donna confronts Eric about were things went wrong. DE and slight JH, One Shot.


Disclaimers: Don't own that 70's show

Summary: The year is up and Donna confronts Eric about were things went wrong. D/E and slight J/H, One Shot.

It was the day she had been both dreading and waiting for. The day her First boyfriend and ex fiancé returned from his teaching. Eric was finally leaving the teaching in Africa and coming home but no longer to her.

How long had it been since she was no longer his? 6 months? More? She didn't know and couldn't care to remember, all she knew was that they were over and old news and the thought of that hurt her. Everyone one now knew her as Randy's ex.

Randy, as much as she wanted to, she knew she could never love him, not in the way she loved Eric and she wasn't sure if she could ever love anyone else the same. Randy had been good friends with her through the first few months when her and Eric were still together but when they were drifting she clung to Randy's friendship more then she had originally meant to and that had led to there relationship.

Was it fun being with him? Yes, she had to admit that, Randy did make her really happy except for the fact that he had " been around" and knowing that seemed to be the turning point in there relationship. Being a feminist she was disturbed by the fact that her current boy friend had been with so many women even though he claimed that since he was now with her he didn't need any more girls, but now they were no longer together and she wondered if he had already found someone else.

Shaking her head from her thoughts, Donna looked around the Forman living room at all the eager faces waiting to see there friend.

Red was sitting in his usual chair with a small smile on his gruff face while Kitty was sitting on the coach her hands flailing endlessly in her lap, she obviously couldn't wait to see her son again.

Looking to her side she saw Jackie sitting beside Hyde, both seemed to be in a deep conversation and she had to smile. Although the last year for her had been a bad one Jackie and Hyde had done the most suffering and it seemed they were some what rekindling there damaged relationship.

After Jackie had claimed she had fallen for Fez it seemed Hyde was doing everything in his power (which wasn't much) to stop them from getting together and she wondered if she was the only one who noticed it. Luckily Fez had rejected her and Jackie changed her mind on the whole ordeal and although she wasn't to sure what happened between Jackie and Hyde she wasn't complaining, the two suited each other and she hoped they would soon get back together.

Hearing a knock on the door, everyone's head perked up and everything had gone silent, this was it, Eric was back. Watching as Kitty took glance at everyone she hurriedly made her way to the door and quickly threw it open.

" My baby!"

" Hay! Hands off Mrs. Forman, Betsy's my baby, if you want one so bad go pop one out yourself!"

Michael Kelso stood in the door way and in his arms was a cute little girl no older then two sleeping.

" Michael!"

Giving Kitty a hug, Kelso walked in followed by his foreign friend.

" Hey everyone, Jackie, looking good"

Looking to Hyde, Donna saw him frown and clench his fists, it seemed something's never change.

Watching as Jackie hugged Kelso, Donna got up to give him her own hug, as much as she didn't want to admit it, she had really missed the Dufus.

" Kelso, what are you doing here?"

Setting Betsy down on the couch he shrugged.

" Well I heard Eric was coming back today so I got my little buddy over there to pick me up"

Looking over to fez she saw him smile

"Yep looks like I saved the day"

Laughing slightly Donna smiled, the group would be back together again really soon, sitting down again she watched the door hoping to see Eric walk through it in a matter of Minutes.

"Who exactly are we all waiting for?"

Widening her eyes, she quickly spun her head around along with the rest of the others and felt herself suck in a breath. There he was in front of her talking, no longer over the phone or letters but in the flesh.

She was about to say something but couldn't bring herself to words along with every one else.

Raising a brow, Eric looked around the room and smiled.

"Well if you want, I'll walk back out and come through the front door this time and hay maybe we can try it all over again"

Not getting a reply he pointed to himself.

" My. Name. is. Eric. Ya know the guy who's basement you've been hanging out in for the last oh I don't know 14 years maybe?"

Getting up from his seat, Red frowned.

" We know who you are Dumbass"

Putting his hands to his heart, Eric sniffed.

" I missed you to daddy"

And in a flash he felt something wrap around his waist. Looking down he saw his mom weeping.

" My baby, your home!"

Smiling, he patted his moms back, he hadn't realized how much he missed her over the last year.

" It's good to be home mom"

Hugging her again, he finally got out of her grip and walked over to his dad. Watching as Red held out a hand, he shook it for a second and then pulled his dad into a hug ignoring the grunt of disapproval.

Letting go he wondered over the his group of friends and stared at them, Hyde, Kelso, Fez, hell even Jackie, he couldn't stop the smile forming on his face.

" Hey guys"

"Forman / Eric!"

They were now all in a group hug, with Fez wrapping his arms around his neck, Kelso the same from the side, Jackie clinging to his arm and Hyde putting his hand on his shoulder, dammit they missed him.

Laughing he tried to shrug them off.

" Come on guys it was only a year"

Releasing from him one by one, Eric looked down and saw Fez still holding him.

" umm Fez as much as I missed you… your Really making me uncomfortable"

Opening his eyes, Fez looked up and then around and slowly let go while coughing.

" Yes well umm I thought… well you see ah screw it!"

And with that he hugged him again while Eric through his arms in the air

Getting Fez to let go of him, he felt someone tap him from behind and spun around and felt a lump in his throat. Donna.

He was about to say something, a " Hi" anything but was cut short as she threw her arms around him. Was she crying?

Quickly rapping his arms around her, he held her close, god he missed her more then anything.

" Hey…"

Pulling away after awhile they stared at each other not knowing what to say.

" Donna…"

And then her face went hard and she felt herself slap him.

Stumbling back from the blow, he looked at her with pleading eyes and felt guilt wash over him, he deserved that and he knew it.

Still staring at him Donna looked around the room and quickly ran out, tears forming in her eyes, ignoring the call's of her name.

Frowning Red shook his head.

"You've been here 5 minutes! What did you do!"

Slumping his shoulders, Eric looked down for a second and ran out after her.

Watching her son go Kitty groaned

"Everything has to be about her doesn't it?"

Turning there heads to look at her; they were surprised to see her scowl again.

"I mean Eric is the one who's been away for a year and what does she do? Makes everyone including Eric give her the attention"

And with that she stormed up the stairs.

Rushing out to the drive way Eric stopped when he saw her seated on the hood of the Vista Cruiser.

" Donna…"

Looking up, Donna jumped off the car and made and attempt to leave until a thin hand reached out to stop her.

" Just leave me alone Eric!"

Making her face him, he stared into her eyes and felt his heart caught in his throat, he knew he would had to of faced this when he got home.

" No Donna, I've been gone a whole year so I think there's been enough of us leaving each other alone"

Seeing her look away he continued, his voice getting harder.

" So what? One second you're crying in my arms and the next your slapping me? Well I'm sorry Donna I'm not leaving us like that!"

Pulling away from him she sniffed and glared at him, how could he talk to her like that after what he did to her?

" Not leaving us like what? Huh? Would you of preferred it if I forgot all about your letter and pretend like this whole year had never happened?"

Not giving him a chance to talk she continued.

" Act like what you wrote never hurt me? What was it you said? A long distance relationship wasn't going to work and maybe we shouldn't be together?"

Every bit of the letter she was saying made him break a little more and he looked away as she continued.

" I woke up this morning and all I could think about was how you were coming back and how much I wanted to see you and then I did and all I could think about was what you said in the letter…"

" You don't know how hard that was for me to write it"

It was whisper but she heard it and stopped her rantings.

" I don't know how hard it was for you to write a letter? Oh maybe I misunderstood it, please tell me what made it so hard?"

Her voice was so cold it made him angry, how could she act like that she was the only one who was hurting?

" You want to know what made it so hard? Do you? Alright how about the thought of knowing you would no longer be my girlfriend huh? How do you think that made me feel?"

She was looking at him confused, why couldn't she get it?

" And I bet you have no clue why I wrote it either do you? Umm let's see does a little name called Randy ring a bell? By the way, were is Mr. cool dude huh? If he's that great how come he's not here with you?"

That did it, how dare he bring up Randy, if anything he was the victim in all of this.

" Don't you dare bring up Randy, he was the one there for me AFTER you wrote me that letter, and he had nothing to do with us breaking up"

He laughed bitterly, Randy had everything to do with it.

" He had nothing to do with it? Well that's were your wrong Donna , you want to know why I wrote the letter? It's because all you could talk to me about the first few months was him and about how great and funny he was!"

Seeing her caught for words he continued.

" In the letter's you sent me, on the phone, hell when I phoned, my mom would tell me you were off hanging out with him , it was obvious you liked him! And how do you think that made me feel?"

She was dumb founded, that's why he wrote it?

" Eric…"

He continued, he was going to let her know how he felt.

" At first I didn't know what to do about it so that's why I ignored you but then I realized what I had to do, I mean how could I go on the year knowing you were at home waiting for me when you had a chance to be with some one you cared about? so that's why I wrote the letter Donna! Not because I didn't love you but because I loved you too much"

Everything had gone quiet and both of them were now crying, she finally knew the reason and she felt horrible.

" I couldn't love him…."

Through his watery eyes he stared at her, mouth opened slightly

" What?"

She looked up at him and smiled slightly.

" I couldn't love him, no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't knowing you would be home in a year and that's why I couldn't move in with him and that's why I couldn't be with him, he wasn't you"

Shocked, he swallowed and looked at her hard.

" You broke up with him?"

Nodding shyly she looked away.

" Well… ya"

She felt him staring at her and before she knew it his lips were on hers, kissing her with all the passion and all love she needed from him over the year he was away and she quickly kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck she laughed into his mouth when he made an attempt to lift her.

Pulling away from her when he was out of breath , he held her close.

" And I couldn't stop loving you"

Laughing she snuggled in closer to him, there they were in the drive way were they shared there first kiss. Pulling his face to hers, she kissed him again. It was one hell of a year but he was finally home.

Well that's the end of it, I hope I wasn't to off on account of I haven't been watching the new season for… obvious reasons. Well this was my first D/E fic so I really hope it was ok and not to to mushy, well anyway I hope ya'll liked it and I REALLY hope it wasn't to rushed or anything.


End file.
